Lancaster ME785 AR-H2 Mission to Gelsenkirchen T/O 2305 from Binbrook. Crashed near Wesepe in the Dutch Province of Overijssel, coming down on the Raalte to Deventer road. All were taken to nearby Duur and buried in Olst (Duur) General Cemetery on 16 June 1944. P/O Fry was an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Name: ROCHE, AUSTIN FREDERICK Initials: A F Nationality: Australian Rank: Pilot Officer Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force Age: 26 Date of Death: 13/06/1944 Service No: 5136 Additional information: Son of Dr. Cedric Watson Gray Roche and Mabel Roche, of Balwyn, Victoria, Australia. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 24. Cemetery: OLST (DUUR) GENERAL CEMETERY WW2 Nominal Roll Name: ROSS, JOSEPH BEADDIE Initials: J B Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sergeant (Flt. Engr.) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 460 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn Date of Death: 13/06/1944 Service No: 1673067 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 22. Cemetery: OLST (DUUR) GENERAL CEMETERY Name: FRY, JAMES ROLLO Initials: J R Nationality: Australian Rank: Pilot Officer Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force Age: 33 Date of Death: 13/06/1944 Service No: 422165 Additional information: Son of James Arthur Barrett Fry and Caroline Fraser Fry; husband of Jean Palmer Fry, of Roseville, New South Wales, Australia. A.C.A., A.A.I.S. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 23. Cemetery: OLST (DUUR) GENERAL CEMETERY WW2 Nominal Roll Name: HILL, ROBERT TREVOR Initials: R T Nationality: Australian Rank: Flight Sergeant Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force Age: 24 Date of Death: 13/06/1944 Service No: 20076 Additional information: Son of Robert and Florence Nellie Louisa Hill, of Bowraville, New South Wales, Australia. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 20. Cemetery: OLST (DUUR) GENERAL CEMETERY WW2 Nominal Roll Name: SAGE, THOMAS EDWIN Initials: T E Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Flight Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 460 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn Age: 22 Date of Death: 13/06/1944 Service No: 1146986 Additional information: Son of Francis Edwin and Annie Sage, of Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 25. Cemetery: OLST (DUUR) GENERAL CEMETERY Name: WHITTENBURY, MERVYN THOMAS Initials: M T Nationality: Australian Rank: Flight Sergeant Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force Age: 21 Date of Death: 13/06/1944 Service No: 417920 Additional information: Son of Alfred Horace and Ellen Whittenbury, of Largs Bay, South Australia. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 21. Cemetery: OLST (DUUR) GENERAL CEMETERY WW2 Nominal Roll Name: BARKER, GERALD GORDON Initials: G G Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Unit Text: 460 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn Age: 19 Date of Death: 13/06/1944 Service No: 1894666 Additional information: Son of Charles Edmund Barker, and of Grace Elizabeth Barker, of East Sheen, Surrey; stepson of Mr. D. Hollings, of East Sheen. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 19. Cemetery: OLST (DUUR) GENERAL CEMETERY
From the AWM is this group picture which includes Merv Whittenbury. Australian War Memorial Collections Database
For some reason the post above woudn't let me edit this text in so here's the text for the photo above: Group portrait of 30 Course, 4 Initial Training School, Royal Australian Air Force, B Squadron, 17 Flight, held between July and September 1942 at Victor Harbour in SA. Identified, left to right, back row: R R Woolcock; J B Sincock; D H M Roeger; G R Thompson; R S Trigg; C C Westwood; W L Stephenson; J L Watts; R J Whittle; K Woodroffe. Third row: A Watson; M H H Rowe; A G Scott; 417914 Dugald John Watson (later killed in action (KIA) on 9 April 1945 whilst serving with 466 Squadron, RAF); J L Venning; F H Zander; G S Wise; A J Vial; 417917 Malcolm George Western (later KIA on 16 December 1943 whilst serving with 576 Squadron, RAF). Second row: E J Rowlands; 417920 Mervyn Thomas Whittenbury (later KIA on 13 June 1944 whilst serving with 460 Squadron, RAF); C Symonds; 427484 Cavan Beadon Robinson (later KIA on 21 February 1945 whilst serving with 576 Squadron, RAF); R C Scott; L D Zilm; 417916 Lionel Warwick Weeden (later KIA on 22 April 1944 whilst serving with 463 Squadron, RAF) ; C L Roberts; H J White; 417903 John Edwin Thomas (later KIA on 28 December 1943 whilst serving with 20 Operational Training, RAF). Front row: A J Walker; R A Stoner; C J Thomson; K R Swain; 417898 Ronald Stephen Seaman DFM (later KIA on 2 February 1945 whilst serving with 464 Squadron, RAF); Sergeant J C James (staff); A G Tyson; K E White; A R Tuck; D D Rowe; C J H Turner.
When I was looking up my "posting at death" for my RAAF people, I marked all their names in red if there was a photo held at the Australian War Memorial. Quite a few got knocked in this photo!
Buried here with three other 460sq crew! FRY, JAMES ROLLO Pilot Officer 422165 460sq 13/06/1944 33 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 23. OLST (DUUR) GENERAL CEMETERY HILL, ROBERT TREVOR Flight Sergeant 20076 460sq 13/06/1944 24 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 20. OLST (DUUR) GENERAL CEMETERY ROCHE, AUSTIN FREDERICK Pilot Officer 5136 460sq 13/06/1944 26 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 24. OLST (DUUR) GENERAL CEMETERY WHITTENBURY, MERVYN THOMAS Flight Sergeant 417920 460sq 13/06/1944 21 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Grave 21. OLST (DUUR) GENERAL CEMETERY
Yep, other Aussie members of his Lanc crew. Same sort of thing in a pic of airmen on the deck of the Akaroa which left New Zealand in March 1940 (from Max Lambert's Night after Night) - of the 11 pilots pictured, seven were killed (six on bombers) and another two became POWs. The other 36 men in the pic are gunners and 19 of them did not survive. The more I read about Bomber Command, and I have read a bit but nowhere near as much as some, the more evident the need for official recognition from the government.
I emailed the newspaper last night to ask them to forward this info (and link) to the researcher. He may find it interesting.
460 Orb Hello Everybody, First of all I want to thank you all for your responses on my article.Very much appreciated. I have also another question.I did already receive the ORB from 460 sqdn of the 12/13 junu 1943 raid.Behind the Lancaster of F/S Hill and his crew is written C52.Does anyone knows what that means?Is that a reference number to a formular with specific details about the loss of F/S Hill and his crew? Thanks in advance for your help. Regards Mike
Welcome, Mike! I see you're referring to the ORB entry on the second scan Kyt posted above. Not sure what the C52 means as I haven't had a lot of exposure to ORBs. Could it be a grid reference perhaps as to suspected location? I found some reference but it's pretty tenuous, from 1940 and appears to relate to a document: Claude Lionel Geoffrey Hood RAFVR of 77 Squadron Really, I'm just wallowing about here. Kyt, Peter or Roxy will know for sure, I reckon.
Orb Andy,thank you for your reply.It sounds logical you say but maybe others can confirm this. regards Mike
Hi Zwolle, All the information you are looking for can be found in the book "Zij Vielen Rondom Zwolle" (They Fell Around Zwolle") by J.L. Schotman. Published by the IJsselacademie, Kampen 2001. ISBN 90-6697-121-1 It is a book about all the crashes around Zwolle 1940-1945. Certainly worth picking up. It is a good book with great pictures. The author did great research here.
